Tag: smile makeover

If there is any word that goes hand in hand with summertime, that word would be vacation. The weather is glorious and the kiddies are off school. Time to make a few memories with the ones you love most during this deliciously delightful time of year. We pack a few things and off we go…off to spend a few days being carefree.

But before you hit the road, take a few moments to prepare for an emergency we never really think about: an oral one. From BBQs to travel plans, summertime is definitely a time of year we throw caution to the wind and devour anything that tickles our fancy. Be cognizant of the amount of sugars you intake (carbs and alcohol are also sugars!), and drink lots of water to stay hydrated and keep saliva production active. The more saliva you produce, the more protection you’re giving your mouth from cavity-forming bacteria and bad breath. Practicing your oral hygiene daily is a top priority when tasting all the delicious goodies at your disposal. No one wants to come home to a mouth full of cavities after a wonderful time away.

Carrying a dental first aid kit is a pretty smart idea if you are planning to spend lots of time outdoors. It’s also a great idea to have a local dental contact handy in case something major happens and immediate action is necessary. Being proactive on a vacation saves a lot of stress, and isn’t that exactly what you’re there to do?

If you are seeking help to improve your smile during your vacation, call Dr. Haines in Snohomish, WA at 360-568-8577 or visit www.tedhainesdds.com.

When the goal is to have the best smile possible, there may be times we need some extra help to achieve it. Luckily, if our tooth is cracked or damaged, we have ways to fix it, namely a dental crown. So, what are their benefits? Take a look…

Undergoing a dental crown procedure can improve the look of broken or cracked teeth. If you are suffering from a loss of teeth, dental crowns are the solution to replace any missing teeth.

One of the best reasons to get a dental crown is because they look extremely natural, so no one will ever know that you have had dental work done. The porcelain and composite resin crowns match the exact shade of your natural teeth.

For those of you who are consistent coffee drinkers, dental crowns are perfect because they are stain-resistant due to the porcelain used to create them, making dingy teeth are a thing of the past.

Another great point is that dental crowns can last up to 15 years so you don’t need to worry about them as long as you look after them.

Dental crowns are restorative and preventive measures that improve missing or damaged teeth. Dental crowns also drastically decrease the amount of bacteria build-up that can lead to the loss of more teeth.

If you are seeking help to improve your smile and are interested in dental crowns call Dr. Haines in Snohomish, WA at 360-568-8577 or visit www.tedhainesdds.com.

There is nothing more delicious than a fresh strawberry on a warm Spring day. If it’s homegrown, it’s even tastier. But are they good for your teeth? Reports are conflicting. Some have touted a strawberry-baking soda paste mixture as a healthy, natural way to whiten your teeth. Some have said that the acidity in strawberries are damaging the tooth enamel. So, which is correct? Let’s take a look at the facts:

Strawberries are a sweet juicy fruit that have both citric and malic acids. These acids, when combined with baking soda, have been known to brighten your teeth. However, like lemons, the whitening agent the acidity brings can potentially erode tooth enamel. In fact, Ran Kwon, a tooth whitening researcher at the University of Iowa delved into this subject through a series of experiments.

Kwon first rubbed a mixture of baking soda and California-grown organic strawberries on 20 recently extracted human molars for 5 minutes, and then brushed the teeth gently. She repeated this procedure three times daily for 10 days, which is what the original recipe called for.

What resulted was that these teeth brushed with the strawberry and baking soda formula showed no real whitening, based on two color-measurement tests, and an examination with a scientific instrument that detects colors known as a spectrophotometer. Unfortunately, the mixture only removed superficial debris from the teeth. Why?

According to the American Dental Association, this natural concoction lacks hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide and it is these chemicals that make whitening products work.

To find out more about natural teeth whitening, contact Dr. Ted Haines, DDS in Snohomish, WA at 360-568-8577 or visitwww.tedhainesdds.comfor additional information.

If there is anything we love, it is a bright white smile. In fact, we love it so much, 100 million Americans whiten their teeth in some form or fashion. And sure, there are lots of ways you can achieve these glistening grins – over-the-counter brands and good habits are the simplest, but what if there was a way to brighten our smiles in a single hour? It doesn’t get faster than that! We are proud to now introduce ZOOM! Whitening System into our office’s repertoire of services.

With ZOOM! Teeth Whitening System, whitening your teeth has now gotten both quicker and hassle-free. During your visit, our trained clinicians will place a protective barrier along your cheeks and gums. The Zoom whitening gel is then applied to the teeth. The secret lies in the one-two punch of gel used in correlation with the Zoom light, which gently penetrates the surface of the teeth to break up stains and discolorations. The gel is applied for three 15 minute sessions. This is the best part: during this time, you can relax, watch a DVD or listen to music while it’s all happening.

Once you have your magical smile back to new, the aftercare is straight-forward as well. No dark, red, spicy foods or drinks for at least 48 hours while the pellicle returns to protect your teeth from stains. After that, just continue to keep up with proper dental hygiene as you normally would. There are also take-home trays available to maintain your pearly whites in between visits.

To find out more about ZOOM! Teeth Whitening System, contact Dr. Ted Haines, DDS in Snohomish, WA at 360-568-8577 or visit www.tedhainesdds.com for additional information.

Life happens. Sometimes our teeth are the victims of an emergency. Cracked teeth are natural accidents that happen to the best of us. You made a dental appointment to fix it, but it isn’t for a couple of days. What do you do in the meantime? Here are the top three dental emergencies and how to handle them:

Toothache. If you find that you have a lot of pain around a certain tooth, you may have an abscess or exposed nerve from a filling or crown. If this is the case, try swishing with a warm salt water rinse and see your dentist as soon as possible. You may need to have a root canal or the tooth extracted entirely.

Broken or chipped teeth. Chipping your tooth is unfortunate, so if this happens, find as many pieces of the tooth you can and rinse them (and your mouth) with warm water. If your mouth is bleeding, gauze may be necessary. If the pain is extreme, try using a cold compress on the area to help relieve any pain.

Missing teeth. Nothing is worse for your smile than knocking out a tooth. Fortunately, if you can find said tooth, there may be a chance to fix it. Pick up the tooth but the crown, as opposed to the root. Rinse off any debris, but don’t scrub it. If you can, try inserting it back into your mouth. If not, put it in a glass of milk or warm salt water until your appointment.

Patients looking to enhance their smile often ask dentists about cosmetic dentistry – procedures such as bonding can help correct gaps, braces can help correct alignment, and veneers can help adjust the size, shape, and color of teeth. While all of these procedures have their uses, one of the cheapest and easiest way to enhance a smile is simple tooth whitening.

There are a wide variety of options available for patients considering tooth whitening. Most use a similar active ingredient – typically hydrogen peroxide – as a bleaching agent to remove stains and provide a shiny white appearance. The nature of the product determines how strong the peroxide product can be – mild products can be used nearly every day, but the strongest whitening products must be used under dental supervision.

Here’s a quick guide to the type of whitening available today:

– Whitening toothpaste is typically low risk, and contain a very mild whitening agent and a polishing agent to help remove stains from the surface of the teeth. They are typically capable of a few shades of whitening, but may take weeks or months to achieve a noticeable whitening change. – Whitening strips often use a peroxide gel to coat the teeth, and are typically worn for 30 minutes at a time, repeated several times for maximum impact. Strips will work faster and achieve more whitening than toothpaste, but are more time consuming for users.– Tray based whitening products are available either over the counter or by prescription from your local dentist. These products use a stronger peroxide product, and are typically used at home in longer durations than whitening strips (potentially 60 minutes, but some products may be worn overnight – check with the instructions for details). Because these often have a stronger peroxide gel, they tend to provide a better result than strips, but may be more expensive or require a dentist visit to obtain.– The most dramatic change will be obtained using in-office whitening procedures, where the dentist can protect the tissue around the teeth and use a much stronger bleaching product. Some of these products are light activated (a UV light or laser will be shone into the patient’s mouth to activate the whitening agent), others are chemical-activated (two gels that are mixed together to activate). The procedure generally takes about an hour, and the dentist will adjust the strength of the product and duration to match the level of staining present on the teeth and the whitening desired by the patient.

If you’re interested in enhancing your smile, talk to your dentist about whitening options. Whether you’re considering strips, trays, or in-office treatments, your dentist can help guide you into making an informed decision, and help set realistic expectations regarding the end result.

Call Dr. Ted Haines DDS for more information on whitening make an appointment today at 360-568-8577 or visit the website at tedhainesdds.com.

Most people are familiar with teeth whitening. Many brands of toothpaste claim to whiten teeth, and stores sell all varieties of tooth whitening products – trays, gels, strips, and rinses – over the counter.

The most basic form of teeth whitening is available as toothpaste – toothpaste, whether it’s labeled as whitening or not – typically contains small abrasive components that gently polish the surface of your teeth, removing discoloration caused by surface staining.

Other over the counter whitening products typically contain a bleaching agent – such as hydrogen peroxide – to lighten the color of your teeth by chemically bleaching them.By applying the bleaching chemical to strips or trays, the peroxide can stay in contact with your teeth for 30 minutes at a time, often twice a day, providing quite a bit of whitening benefit.

Your dentist, however, can typically offer two different whitening options. The first is take-home tray based, using chemicals stronger than over-the-counter trays, but working on the same basic principle. Often times dentist provided trays are custom-molded to the patients teeth, providing a smooth, comfortable fit suitable for wearing for multiple hours each day – often even overnight.Beyond the trays, dentists can often perform whitening in the office, using light and heat activated bleaching chemicals, providing a significant whitening in as little as 60 minutes. Because the procedure is supervised by a dentist, much stronger chemicals can be used, and much more dramatic results can be seen almost immediately.

No matter which method of teeth whitening you choose, the results will likely not be permanent. Your teeth are exposed to foods and drinks that will stain them over time, but your dentist can advise you on the proper procedure for repeating the whitening process at regular intervals.

Call Dr. Ted Haines DDS for an appointment today at 360-568-8577 or visit the website at tedhainesdds.com.

Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental laminates) are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth changing their color, shape, size, or length.

Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth. Resin veneers are thinner and require removal of less of the tooth surface before placement. You will need to discuss the best choice of veneer material for you with your dentist.

Veneers are routinely used to fix:

Teeth that are discolored — either because of root canal treatment; stains from tetracycline or other drugs, excessive fluoride or other causes; or the presence of large resin fillings that have discolored the tooth

Teeth that are worn down

Teeth that are chipped or broken

Teeth that are misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped

Teeth with gaps between them

Veneers offer the following advantages:

They provide a natural tooth appearance.

Gum tissue tolerates porcelain well.

Porcelain veneers are stain resistant.

The color of a porcelain veneer can be selected such that it makes dark teeth appear whiter.

Veneers offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth’s color and shape; veneers generally don’t require the extensive shaping prior to the procedure that crowns do, yet offer a stronger, more aesthetic alternative.

Dental veneers do not require any special care. Continue to follow good oral hygiene practices, including brushing and flossing as you normally would. Veneers generally last between 5 and 10 years. After this time, the veneers would need to be replaced.

Dr.Haines is committed to ensuring your optimal oral health. For more information on dental implants, schedule an appointment today for an exam. ContactDr. Ted Haines at (360) 568-8577 or visit our website.